Receptacle holder



my 22, 1951 M. PISANO RECEPTACLE HOLDER Filed Oct. 28, 1946 I INVEI WWW g BY W ATTORNEY Patented May 22, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REOEPTACLE' HOLDER Martin Pisano, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application October 28, 1946, Serial No. 706,168

2 Claims.

This invention relates to receptacle holders and more particularly to means for securing a receptacle, such as a paint bucket or pot, to a support, such for example as the hinged shelf of a stepladder.

An object of the invention is to produce a simple device which can be produced inexpensively, can be readily secured to a ladder or similar support structure and can be quickly and easily connected to and disconnected from the receptacle to be secured in place on the support structure.

A further object is to produce such a device which may be more or less permanently secured to a support structure and which is capable of being easily and quickly connected. to and disconnected from a receptacle located on the supporting structure.

These and other objects are attained by means of a device, such as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmental side elevation. of a stepladder with a receptacle, such as a paint pot, located on the pivoted shelf thereof and. secured in place thereon by means of a device embodying my invention, which device is shown secured to the top step of the ladder.

Figure 2 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of a device embodying my invention and shown in association with a fragmental sectional view of a receptacle.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 2.

As shown in the drawings, the device of my invention is adapted to be clamped to some portion of a structure which forms a support for a receptacle and is adapted to engage and be secured to a lateral wall of the receptacle, thus securing the receptacle against motion relatively to its support. As disclosed, the device of my invention consists of a bar-like element or arm which is provided at one end with means such as a clamp assembly for securing it to a support structure, and which is adapted to be secured to a receptacle located on the support structure and to firmly hold the receptacle in place on the support structure. For this purpose the arm is provided with a receptacle-engaging clip movable along it at points intermediate its ends and with its clip carryin arm extending downwardly and so located, with relation to the receptacle support, that it extends downwardly along and immediately adjacent to the lateral wall of a receptacle located on the support structure and to be secured in place on that structure. The clip is then moved along the arm and into engagement with the rim or lip of the receptacle so that the lip intervenes between the depending arm and the portion of the clip which overlaps the lip. This interengagement of the arm, the lip of the receptacle and the Clip has the effect or holding the receptacle in place on the portion of the support structure on which it rests.

As shown in the drawings, the arm may be, and preferabl is, provided with a set or clamp screw located adjacent the end of the arm remote from the clamping assembly and so arranged that it, together with the clip, constitutes means for clamping the receptacle to the arm. Where the clamp screw is employed, the device of my invention is located as previously described with relation to the receptacle, and the clamp cooperating with the clip firmly secures the receptacle to the device and in this way firmly secures it to the support structure, independently or whether or not its base rests on a shelf or similar part of such structure.

Referring to the drawings, the device of my invention includes an arm 5 provided at its upper end with a clamping assembly 6, which is shown as pivotally secured to the arm by means of a pivot pin 1. A clip 8 is located on the arm below the pin l and is movable longitudinally of the arm. A set or clamp screw 9 extends through a tapped aperture formed adjacent the lower end of the arm 5 and is so located that it forms a stop for the clip 8 which limits the movement of the clip along the arm as it approaches the end thereof remote from the assembly device 6.

In the apparatus illustrated, I have shown the arm in the form of a fiat bar and as having an arc-shaped crosspiece l0, rigidly secured t its lower end. The piece It! may be secured to the bar by any suitable means such as a rivet ll. While the piece H}- is not essential to the functioning of the device, it is preferably employed as the means for engaging the lateral wall of a receptacle, such as the receptacle l2 illustrated in Figure l and in fragmental section in Figure 2.

It is curved so as to approximate the curvature of the receptacle wall to be engaged by it and when employed as a part of the device, engages the receptacle at an appreciable distance below the rim or lip 13 thereof.

In the illustrated embodiment, the arm 5 is formed from strip metal (preferably steel) of sufficient cross section to render it rigid under all conditions of use. The clamping assembly is shown as forming a part of or secured to an extension I4 of the arm. The part I4 is also formed of strip metal, preferably steel, of the same width and thickness as the arm 5 and, as previously stated, is pivotally secured to the arm 5 by means of the pivot pin I. The part I4 is bent so that the part I5 thereof extends at right angles to the arm 5 when the arm is in operative position. The arm 5 and the portion I4 secured thereto, are twisted through a quarter-turn so that the pivotal axis of the clamping assembly is parallel to the flat face of the arm 5 and at right angles to the direction in which the clamping prongs extend. That is to say, the upper end of the arm 5 and the part of the portion I4 secured thereto are twisted through a quarter-turn so that the pin I extends at right angles to the part I5 of the portion Id and, therefore, extends parallel to the flat face of the arm 5. Y

The clamping assembly 6 is extremely simple. It is formed of strip metal and consists essentially of a U-shaped element [6 secured to the bent-over part I5 of the portion I4. It also includes a clamp screw H, which is threaded through a tapped aperture formed in the portion I5 and one leg of the U-shaped portion IS. The

metal of the portion I6 is preferably of the same type, width and section as that of the portions 5 and I4 and one leg of the portion I6 is placed in register with the bent-over part I5 and is secured thereto by any suitable means, such for example as rivets I8.

The clip 8 may be formed of the same type of metal as the arm 5. It includes a collar I9 which extends around the arm 5 and is in sliding engagement therewith. The clip proper depends from the collar and is preferably, although not necessarily, formed as a unitary part thereof. It is of such section that it is relatively stiff or rigid under all conditions of use encountered by it. The clip is also so formed that it exerts a gripping or holding effect on the receptacle engaged by it. Where the clip is formed from spring steel, this gripping effect may be quite pronounced. The collar of the clip may be threaded to place on the arm 5 before the end piece I0 is secured thereto and before the clamp screw 9 is screwed into the aperture provided for it. The collar may be either a closed or open loop but is of such section that it has sufficient strength and rigidity to cooperate with the clip in securing a receptacle to the arm 5.

As shown in Figure 1, the clamping assembly is employed for the purpose of securing the device to a supporting structure. In Figure 1, the supporting structure is shown as a stepladder 2|, the legs 22 of which are pivotally secured to the usual frame-like structure which supports the top step 23 of the ladder. The ladder is also provided with the usual shelf 24 which is pivoted to the rear legs of the ladder and is adapted to be held in its horizontal or extended position by engagement with a stop or step carried by the forward legs of the ladder. As shown in Figure 1, a receptacle I2 is supported on the shelf 24 and the device of my invention is secured to the top step of the ladder through the agency of the clamping assembly 6.

As shown in both Figures 1 and 2, the U-shaped member I6 is moved tosuch a position that it engages a convenient portion of the support structure/ As shown, the upper leg of the part I5 extends along and engages the upper face of the step 23 and the clamp screw is turned so that it engages the lower face of the step and holds the assembly in clamping engagement with the step. The arm 5 extends vertically downward from the clamping assembly and the receptacle I2 is so located that the arm lies along the lateral wall thereof, with the part I 0 in engagement with that wall. The clip 8 occupies a position along the portion 5 such that it projects into the interior of the receptacle I2 and engages the rim or lip thereof. The set screw 5 is then adjusted to force the wall of the receptacle against the clip 8, thus increasing the gripping effect of the clip and clamping the receptacle to the arm 5. This secures the receptacle to the arm and, consequently, to the support structure.

It will be apparent that the omission of the end piece III will not detract from the effective functioning of the device. Under such conditions, the clip 8 and the clamp screw 9 will cooperate as described so as to secure the receptacle I2 to the arm 5 and thus rigidly secure the receptacle in position with relation to the supporting structure.

In Figure 1, the broken lines show the arm 5 turned around the pivot pin I to a position of non-use in which it lies under the top step 23 of the ladder. It, however, will be understood that while the pivotal connection between the arm 5 and the clamping assembly 6 contributes to the convenience of the user of the device, the arm 5 may be rigidly connected to the part I4 so that it occupies the relative position, with relation to that part, shown in Figure 3.

While I have illustrated and described the device of my invention as so applied to a paint pot or receptacle that the arm 5 lies on the outside of the pot, it will be apparent that the clip 8 may be so positioned on the arm that the arm may be located within the receptacle. This however, is not the preferred method of employing the device. When such an arrangement is resorted to, the clip 8 will be provided with a set or clamp screw, such as the clamp screw 9, for clamping the pot or receptacle to the arm 5.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other changes may be made in the apparatus illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A mechanism for securing a container in position on a self-like portion of a ladder, comprising a flat bar-like, container-supporting arm having one end thereof twisted through a quarter turn; a collar slldably mounted on and movable to different positions along said arm; a depending, receptacle-engaging clip secured to said collar and adapted to overlap the edge of and project into a container located on said shelf-like support; a clamp screw carried by said arm and located in a container-engaging position between said collar and the end of said arm remote from the twisted end thereof and adapted to force a container engaged by said clip into clamping engagement with said clip; in combination with a support-engaging clamping meanspivotally secured to the twisted end of said arm and comprising a clamp-supporting, L-shaped member, twisted at one end thereof with the twisted end pivotally secured to the twisted 'end of said arm;

and a ,U-shaped member rigidly secured to one 5 of the supporting leg of said L-shaped member; and a clamp screw extending'through such supporting leg and one leg of said U-shaped member and movable toward and away from the other leg thereof.

2. A mechanism for securing a container in position on a pivotally mounted shelf of a stepladder, comprising an arm formed of flat, bar-like strip metal and twisted at one end; a collar slidably engaging and movable to different positions along said arm; a depending spring clip secured to said collar and adapted to overlap the edge of, and project into a container positioned on such shelf; a clamping screw carried b said arm, located in a container-engaging position between said collar and the end of said arm opposed to the twisted end thereof and adapted to force a container, engaged by said clip, into clamping engagement with said clip; in combination with a clamping means adapted to engage a step of a stepladder and comprising an L-shaped member formed of flat, bar-like strip metal and twisted at one end with the twisted end thereof secured to the twisted end of said arm; and a flat, bar-like U-shaped member formed of flat, bar-like strip metal and having one leg thereof extending along and rigidly secured to the free leg of said L-shaped member and extending in v REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,593,043 Stroecker July 20, 1926 2,308,805 Dahl Jan. 19, 1943 2,367,256 Atkins Jan. 16, 1945 

